Mechanical exerciser and massaging device



Oct. 4, 1932. H. E. DIERKER MECHANICAL EXERCISER AND MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Jan 21, 1929 cerker f fagh 6:

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEV HUGH E. IDIERKER, OF OCEAN IPARK, CALIFORNIA, ASSIG-NOR TO EDGAR IF. HUGHES,

0F BREN'I'WOOD PARK, CALIFORNIA MECHANICAL EXERCISEB AND MASSAGING DEVICE Application filed January 21, 1929. Serial No. 333,803.

This invention relates more particularly to that type of mechanical massage andexercising device in which a belt is placed about the human anatomy and oscillated, whereby the body of the user is massaged for therapeutical purposes or for the symmetrical development of the body.

A11 object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanical exerciser of the character stated which will massage portions of the binations of parts more particularly hereinafter referred to.

Other objects advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detail descrlptlon and the appended claims.

Theaccompanying drawlng illustrates the invention in a form I at present deem preferable.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention showing the massage belt partly in perspective.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged slightly transverse vertical section taken on line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly n elevation and partly in sectlon of the swivel connecting means for connecting the massage belt to the oscillating means such as the motor.

Fig. 4: is a transverse section of the swivel 7 connecting means taken on line 4l, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal fragmentary section taken on line 55, Fig. 3, showing the cross-head to whichthe massage belt isconnected.

My invention comprises a motor 1", a massage belt 2, and swivel connecting means 3 erted'upon the looped end a of the belt 2.

for connecting the belt to the motor shaft 4:. The motor is pivoted horizontally at its sides by means of pivots 5 in the upper ends of a fork 6 formed on the upper end of a standard 7. Said standard comprises a pair of telescoping members 8 and 9, the member 8 forming the base member of the standard andthe member 9 turnable telescoping within said base member 8 and carrying on its upper end the fork 6. A collar 10 is adjustably secured on the telescoping member 9 by means of a handscrew 11, and which collar rests upon the upper end of the base member 8 for adjustably positioning the motor as to height and permitting themember 9 and motor to turn in the base member 8.

The swivel connecting means 3 preferably comprises a block 12 secured on the motor shaft 4, a cross-head 13 to which the free ends of the belt 2 are preferably secured on opposite sides thereof by any suitable means, such as screws 14, and a swivel connection 15 connecting the block 12 and cross-head 13. The block 12 is secured on the motor shaft 1 by means of a set screw 16 which set screw may be locked against turning by means of a lock-screw 17 fitted in the block 12 and engaging screw 16. l/Vashers 18 may be placed on the screws 14L between the heads of the screws and the belt 2, for more securely fastening the free ends of the belt to opposite sides of the cross-head 13, and for preventing the belt ends from being pulled out at the place of contact with screws 14 when a pull is ex The connection 15 comprises a shaft 19 formed with an annular external flange 20, a pairof ball bearings 21 and 22 fitted in one end of the block 12, a washer 23 and a plate 24 secured to one end of the connecting block 12 over thebearing 22 by any suitable means, such as screws 25. The ball bearings 21 and 22 are fitted in a bore 26 drilled into the outer end of the block 12, eccentrically to the axis of the block and motor shaft 1. The connecting shaft 19 extends through openings 27 and 28 in the plate 2 1 and washer 23 respectively, and through the inner cones29 and 30 of the ball bearings 21 and 22 respectively, with the external flange 20 of said shaft posishaft; a cross-head to which'the free ends of tioned between and engaging the adjacent ends of said cones, while the outer cones. 31 and 32 of the ball bearings 21 and 22 respectively, are directly fitted in the bore 26 with the inner end of the cone 31 engaging a shoulder 33 formed at the inner end of said bore in p the block 12 and the outer end of the cone 82 engaging the washer 23, thus swivelly connecting the free ends of the belt to the motor user in a most natural and beneficial manner without likelihood of irritating or chafing the skin- H p It will be seen that the two ends of the belt 2 are rigidly connected together. These ends are then, by means of the belt head 13,

connecting shaft 19 and block 3, swivelly and eccentrically connected with the end of the motor shaft 4, in such manner that as said shaft is rotated, the ends of the belt are vibrated radially and this vibration is transmitted to the portion of the belt which is looped around the body of the subject. Furthermore, the device is'so arranged that the motor shaft extends axially with respect to the loop of the belt and receives the endwise pull from the belt. 7

The turnable standard member 9 permits the user to stand at different angles with re lation to the standard 7 or to move from side to side whilebeing massaged by the belt 2, while the pivots 5 permit the looped end of the belt which is drawn around various parts of the body of the user to be raised or lowered to the desired position on the users anatomy and thereby position the motor to obtain a direct axial pull thereon.

I claim:

1. The combination of a belt adapted to be folded upon itself to form a looped end adapted to receive parts of a human body; means connecting the free ends of said belt together; and means for oscillating the freeends of said belt to produce a vibrating and massaging effect at the looped end of said belt, said' oscillating 'means comprislng a motor shaft positioned tofreceive the endwise pull from the said belt and an eccentric connection between said shaft and belt so that the the belt are'connected; a shaft connected to said cross-head and extending into said bore i of said block; and end thrust bearings mounted in said connecting block in which said shaft turns. j

3. A mechanical exerciser comprising a motor having a shaft; a standard on which said motor is pivoted for horizontal movement; a massage belt; and means for swivelly connecting the free ends of the belt eccentric to the motor shaft, said means also maintaining the free ends of said belt in fixed relation .to. each other and positioning them to pull in an endwise manner upon said shaft.

4. A mechanical exerciser comprising a motor having ashaft; a vertical standard motor having a shaft; astandard; means for turnably mounting said motor on a vertical and horizontal axis; a massage belt; and.

means for swivelly connecting the free ends of said belt eccentrically to the motor shaft,

the free ends of said belt being connected'together in fixed relation to each other and positioned to pull in an endwise manner upon said shaft.

6. A mechanical exerciser comprising a secured to the motor shaft; said block being 2 provided with a bore in one end eccentrically to the axis of said motor shaft; apair of ball bearings fitted in said bore, the inner ball.

bearing resting against a shoulder in said connecting block; a washer anda plate secured to the outer end of said connecting block over the outer ballbearing; a massage belt having its ends secured to each other; a shaft. connected to said ends of said massage beltand extending into and mounted in said ball bearings, and an annular end thrust flange on said connecting shaft between said ball bearings to prevent endwise movement of said connecting shaft when said shaft receives the endwise pull from said belt. 1

7. A mechanica-l exerciser comprising a motor shaft; a belt adapted to be looped around the human body; means to support trically connecting said shaft with said belt so that the ends of said belt will be moved eccentrically around the axisof said shaft, and-a motor to rotate said shaft.

8. A mechanical exerciser comprising a motor having a. shaft; a belt having its'two ends rigidly connected to each other; andmeans swivelly connected to said beltends and eccentrically related to saidshaft to vibratesaid belt ends in unison eccentrically about the axis of said shaft said motor shaft being positioned to receive the endwise pull from said belt.

9. A mechanical exerciser comprising in combination, a body engaging massage belt; means rigidly connecting the two ends of said belt to each other; a motor including a shaft; and means swivelly connecting the belt ends to the end of said shaft so that as the shaft is rotated, the ends of the belt are vibrated radially.

10. A mechanical exerciser comprising in combination, a body engaging massage belt; means rigidly connecting the two ends of said belt to each other; a motor including a shaft; means swivelly connecting the belt ends to the end of said shaft so that as the shaft is rotated, the ends of the belt are vibrated radially; and said last mentioned. means also connecting the ends of said belt to said shaft so that as the belt passes about a human body, the radial vibration of the belt ends will cause a reciprocable motion of the belt over the users body.

11. A mechanical exerciser comprising a motor having a shaft; a body engaging masage belt; means rigidly connecting the two ends of said belt to each other; and means swivelly connecting the said two ends of said belt to said motor shaft in such a manner that the motor shaft receives the endwise pull from the belt as the belt passes about the users body.

12. A mechanical exerciser comprising a motor having a shaft; a body engaging massa 'e belt; means rigidly connecting the two ends of said belt to each other; means eccentrically connecting the said ends of said belt with said shaft so that said ends will be vibrated radially as the shaft is rotated, and will cause a reciprocable motion of the belt over the users body as said ends are radially vibrated; and means whereby the motor shaft receives the endwise pull from the belt.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 14th day of January, 1929.

HUGH E. DIERKER. 

